Building Access

Building Access Requirements

Monday–Friday
Access to the building is granted upon presentation of a valid Graduate Center or other valid CUNY college ID card. Visitors must show another form of picture identification and sign in at the lobby desk.

Weekends
Access to the building is granted upon presentation of a valid Graduate Center ID card and signing in at the lobby desk. Those needing access to their office must bring their key. Visitors attending scheduled weekend events must show another form of picture ID and sign in.

Off-Hours and Holidays
Access to the building outside of regular building hours requires the authorization of an Executive Officer, a Director of a Center or Institute, or a Head of Office, along with prior notification to Security & Public Safety. Those granted off-hour access privileges must show a valid Graduate Center ID card and sign in at the lobby desk. (Note: Requests for off-hour access should be carefully considered and authorized only for critical needs due to limited security coverage and other security and fire safety concerns.)

As part of the access policy, when there is an event in public spaces that attracts large numbers of attendees, event organizers coordinate with Security about reasonable procedures that are accommodative of the needs of the event.

Our access policies are designed to insure that everyone feels safe and secure while at The Graduate Center. Your full and respectful cooperation with the Security Staff responsible for implementing the access policies is essential for achieving these purposes.

How To Get Here

In Manhattan, the Graduate Center, housed in the historic B. Altman building, is easy to find. (Information on how to get to Manhattan by major modes of transportation can be found at the nycgo.com website.)

Located on Fifth Avenue between 34th and 35th Streets, the building is two blocks east of Penn Station, one block east of Herald Square, and two blocks west of the 33rd Street and Park Avenue station. The closest subway station, located at 34th Street and Avenue of the Americas, is served by the B, D, F, N, R, and Q trains. Click here for a dynamic map courtesy of Mapquest.

Penn Station is served at Seventh Avenue by the 1, 2, 3, and 9 IRT trains, as well as the A, C, and E lines at the Eighth Avenue station one block west. Detailed information on bus and subway transport in New York City can be found at the website of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).